With regards to AI attacking your towns - yes this is possible for us to include (not for the homeland, but for the other 30 towns player can have under his control). However - we are getting a lot of player feedback asking us not to - as they are worried they`ll have enough to do with other players attacking their towns. But - this would definitely be something we`ll include at some point - at least to try and see how it works out. You would actually see NPC controlled towns sending armies on the world map - and they would both be able to engage your armies or your towns.

Here is the solution: if u're under protection, then AI can attack your towns. Otherwise, if u're not under protection, players can attack you, and AI cant